The Carbohydrates GRS provides a unique forum for young doctoral and post-doctoral researchers to present their work, discuss new methods, cutting edge ideas, and pre-published data, as well as to build collaborative relationships with their peers. Experienced mentors and trainee moderators will facilitate active participation in scientific discussion to allow all attendees to be engaged participants rather than spectators.
Mission Statement: This seminar will highlight emerging approaches to glycan synthesis, analysis, and functional investigation, with a focus on understanding carbohydrate roles in disease and advancing glycan-based therapeutics.
Description: The 2027 Gordon Research Seminar on Carbohydrates will convene emerging leaders in glycoscience to explore how advances in carbohydrate research are reshaping our understanding of biology, disease mechanisms, and translational science. Designed by and for early-career researchers, this GRS provides an intellectually open and highly interactive environment where graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-stage investigators can present unpublished findings, challenge prevailing paradigms, and refine new scientific directions. Emphasis will be placed on rigorous discussion, critical feedback, and peer-driven exchange, fostering a setting where innovative ideas can be tested and strengthened before entering the broader scientific arena.
The scientific program will focus on next-generation approaches to carbohydrate science, including emerging synthetic strategies, analytical and computational technologies, systems-level glycoscience, and the ever-expanding roles of glycans in various biological processes. The seminar will emphasize how the interdisciplinary fusion of chemical, biological, and data-driven perspectives provides the essential framework for overcoming difficult and long-standing barriers in carbohydrate research. Through a balanced program of short talks, extended discussion periods, and poster sessions, participants will engage deeply with both conceptual advances and technical challenges shaping the future of the field. Concurrently, the 2027 GRS will prioritize professional development and community building within the global glycoscience ecosystem. Structured mentorship opportunities, peer-moderated discussions, and dedicated sessions for strategic career planning will equip attendees with tools to navigate diverse professional trajectories in academia, industry, policy, and entrepreneurship. By cultivating a collaborative, inclusive, and forward-thinking community, the 2027 Gordon Research Seminar on Carbohydrates aims to empower the next generation of scientists to define the future directions of carbohydrate research and its impact on human health.
Application Instructions
The seminar will feature approximately 10 talks and 2 poster sessions. All attendees are expected to actively participate in the GRS, either by giving an oral presentation or presenting a poster. Therefore, all applications must include an abstract.
The seminar chair will select speakers from abstracts submitted by February 28, 2027. Those applicants who are not chosen for talks and those who apply after the deadline to be considered for an oral presentation will be expected to present a poster. In order to participate, you must submit an application by the date indicated in the Application Information section above.
Program Format
Gordon Research Seminars are 2-day meetings which take place on the Saturday and Sunday just prior to the start of the associated GRC. The GRS opens with a 1-hour introductory session on Saturday afternoon, followed by a poster session, dinner and a 2-hour session in the evening. Sunday morning begins with breakfast and is followed by another 2-hour session, a second poster session, and lunch. A final 1-hour session takes place just after lunch, and the associated GRC begins later that evening.
